Our Podcast

"I Left My Park in San Francisco" explores the strange, the wacky, the unbelievable stories of San Francisco’s parks. It covers a range of topics and locations throughout the Department. This is an opportunity to illuminate lesser known aspects of the Department and share oft-overlooked narratives embedded in our parks and recreation centers.

Episodes:

"Workreation"

Remember your first job? The nerves and sweat walking into that first interview, the grind of waking up too early during summer break, that glorious first paycheck...We’re jumping into all that and more on today’s episode, where we share stories from our youth employment program Workreation, which has been providing job opportunities to high school kids for the last 60 years. While hiring and training teens for their first job is bound to bring entertaining stories – it also provides space for our next generation to learn from their mistakes and develop skills that will support them throughout their careers. If your teen has a knack for surfing, skating, acting, writing, or wrangling their younger siblings, we have a job for that. Check out our Workreation program and apply online to spend the summer outside with SF Rec and Park!

"Paranormal Parks"

Since ancient times, ghost stories and instances of the paranormal have followed humanity. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, their stories often offer a glimpse into the past, serving as a fun and unique way to view history. For this special Halloween episode, we’re on the hunt for fun and spooky stories from two of our most historic buildings: McLaren Lodge and the Geneva Car Barn.

"The Dash"

On a headstone, there is a dash between birth and death. Nonagenarian Neil Fahy, Rec and Park’s oldest employee, has devoted his dash to nature education at Camp Mather: inspiring both kids and adults one caterpillar, leaf, and night sky at a time.

"Sliding Back in Time"

Baseball has always been considered America’s pastime, and one group in Golden Gate Park takes the game to historic levels. The Bay Area Vintage Base Ball League plays by the rules of 1886, where each team is outfitted in uniforms and equipment replicated from the era. Today, we’re going back in time to explore the gentleman’s game.

"Park Love"

Like Cupid’s arrow, this special Valentine’s Day episode takes aim at romance in our parks. From initial attraction at Precita to a nervous meeting at Duboce to a wedding surprise at Corona Heights, San Franciscans discuss how park paths led them to love.

"Ladies’ Night"

For nearly a decade, a committed group of women have been boxing on Tuesday nights at Mission Rec Center. The class is an alternative to the coed group, for women to create their own, machismo-free space to train and learn technique. The program’s shining star emeritus is Raquel “Pretty Beast” Miller, who was first a student, then an instructor at Mission Rec, and now is one of the top women boxers in the country training for a World Title.

"Flagging in the Park"

Through its humble beginnings under the shadow of the AIDS epidemic, Flagging in the Park served as an expression of joy and remembrance in a time when the virus claimed the lives of nearly half of the city’s gay community. Now entering its 21st year, the DJs, organizers, and participants keep tradition and memory alive in an explosion of kaleidoscopic color and dance in the National AIDS Memorial Grove.

"Summer Sk8 SF"

From the old guard of San Francisco skaters to the newest generation of shredders, this episode drops in on a couple of SF’s most beloved skate parks and programs. Hear stories of gnarly injuries, new tricks, and first impressions from those who have witnessed the transformation of skate culture in San Francisco – and those just starting on the Basic Shred.

"The Secret Treasure Hunt"

This episode explores the story behind Byron Preiss’ "The Secret", and the armchair treasure hunters flocking to San Francisco in search of an elusive ceramic casque. Guided by the theories of our historian-in-residence Christopher Pollock, we go digging for the buried secret ourselves.

About Us

The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department currently manages more than 220 parks, playgrounds and open spaces throughout San Francisco, including two outside city limits—Sharp Park in Pacifica and Camp Mather in the High Sierras. The system includes full-complex recreation centers, swimming pools, golf courses, sports fields and numerous small-to-medium-sized clubhouses that offer a variety of sports- and arts-related recreation programs for people of all ages. Included in the Department’s responsibilities are Golden Gate Park, Coit Tower, the Marina Yacht Harbor, the San Francisco Zoo and Lake Merced.

In 2017, San Francisco became the first city in the nation where all residents have access to a park within a 10-minute walk, a direct result of the Department’s commitment to increasing and improving parkland in the city.Learn More